Union garment.



A. L. PERKINS.

I UNION GARMENT. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1912.

I drop seat union garments of knitted or other ALVAH L. PERKINS, OF NEEDHAM HEIGHTS, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE LIAM CARTER (70., 0F NEEDHAM HEIGHTS, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORA- TION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

UNION GARMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented duty 6, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALVAH L. PERKINS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Needham Heights, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement'in- Union Garments, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a'specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to closed crotch,

material for men or women, but particularly intended for use by men.

In order that the principle of the invention may be readily understood, I have disclosed a single embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawing, wherein-- Figure 1 is a frontelevation of the greater portion .of a union garment embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a substantially central, vertical section taken through the garment shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the middle portion of the garment, the flap being down; and Fig. 5'is a plan view of the central portion of the flap when laidflat, and a portion of the'leg extensions to which it is seamed.

Certain types of union garments are objectionable in that they do not'wholly cover the person at front and rear, and particularly at the crotch. Other types thereof,

such as open seat union garments, are objectionable, because there are two thicknesses of material at the crotch, thus causing discomfort, and particularly when such two thicknesses have free edges.

The garment embodying my 111VI1t1011 is provided with a drop seat and with a closed crotch, there being but a single thlckness of material at the crotch, thus greatly increasing the comfort of the garment. The body of the wearer is entirely covered both in front and rear, and yet the garment may be readily opened up when desired. Moreover it provides full freedom of motion for the wearer, and owing to the closeness with which it fits the person it acts as a suspensory. 4

Referring more particularly to the drawing, I have therein represented a union garment which is preferably knitted, but which within the scope of my invention may be of woven material. The body of the garment is lndlcated at 1, and the leg portions at 2, 2. The body portion is provided with an open, buttoned portion 3 extending from the neck 4 downward to any desired point, but preferably to the very crotch as indicated at 5 in Fig. 1. The garment may be knitted on any suitable type of knitting machine, but preferably on a circular machine, so that the courses of the knitting run round and round the fabric, thus makingit of great elasticity transversely of the garment. The body and legs are preferably integral, the arms being preferably separately knitted and seamed to the body of the garment. The legs of the garment are seamed along their inner edges from the lower ribbed portion. upward to the crotch as indicated at 6 in Fig. 1. Viewing Figs.

2, 4 and 5, it will be observed that each leg portion is continued upwardly integrally as indicated at 7, 7 to form a portion of. the drop seat. These portions 7, 7 are relatively narrow and long and taper along their edges '8, 8 to a relatively narrow upper end 9 where is provided a band 10 having'button holes through which may beinserted the buttons 11, 11 secured upon the back of the garment substantially at that part fitting" the small of the back of the wearer.

Between the portions 7, 7 of the drop seat,

I insert a substantially equilateral triangu-.

lar piece 12 shown in its distended form in Fig. 5. This triangular insert is seamed in any suitable manner to the inner edges 13, 13 of the extensions 7, 7 of the legs. The inserted piece 12 is of relatively great width as compared with the extensions 7, 7, thus permitting full freedom of movement to the wearer. The inserted piece 12 is elastically so that the lateral expansion of the .rear of the garment is not interfered with when the wearer bends his body.

It will be observed that the garment has but a single thickness at the crotch, and that; there are no free edges whichcan become sewed at 13 to the extensions 7, 7 of the legs,

clearly in Fig. 4, thus providing a substantially triangular opening. Into this opening is sewed an inserted fall preferably stitches run transversely of the fabric, thus providing great lateral expansibility of said fabric. The outer and upper edges of said.

pieces 16, 16 are elastically sewed by elastic lines of stitches to the back of the garment along the lines 14, 14,15, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 4.; As previously stated,,I preferably use two pieces 16, 16. a This permits me tomake use of small pieces which would otherwise be wasted, and it also permits me to use two pieces, each of which is transversely expansible. The said two pieces 16,; '16 are elastically sewed together along the line 17 of Figs. 2 and 4. The parallel sided portions of the pieces 16 are of much greater length than the lengths of the meeting edges of said parts 16. In other words, a large opening is provided which is fully closed of my invention.

by the drop seat formed by the members 7, 7, 12. This constitutes an important feature The lower end of each piece '16 is elastically sewed, preferably along a downwardly inclined line18 to the upward extension 7 7 of the legs, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 2. These elastically sewed lines of stitching constitute substantially'the bottom of the drop seat at its edges and permit freedom of movement of the body of the wearer and great expansion of the material of the garment.

Y I am aware that it hasheretofore been proposed to provide a union garment hav ing a closed crotch and a drop seat, and that 'such garment is provided with a so-called curtain, the outer edges whereof are sewed to the back of'the garment. In such case, however, thereis not provided an inserted fall. of the construction herein disclosed. Neither is the same secured to the leg ortions in the manner herein disclosed. oreover such garment does not contain the inserted portion 12 of substantially equi-lateral triangular shape, nor is the drop seat seamed as herein described to the leg portions. t

From the foregoing description, it will be evident that the garment is of but a single thickness at the crotch, but that the body of thewearer is entirely covered. The garment may be readily opened up full and wide and also permits great freedom of motion. It has not the objections inherent in the open seat type of union garment, in that no free edges are provided which may chafe the wearer, and moreover it is so constructed as to provide great fullness in the seat and yet fits either a slender or stout person.

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of my invention, I desire it to be understood that although spec fic terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claim. Claim A drop seat, closed crotch, union garment having knitted body and legs, the former having a' rear opening provided with inclined side edges and a transverse joining edge, a fall elastically seamed to the edges of said opening and consisting of two narrow strips 16 of knitted material, the courses of thestitches whereof run transversely of said strips, said strips being elastically seamed together at their connecting edges along the line 17, whereby the entire fall is laterally expansible, said fall being of inverted V shape and having free inner edges substantially parallel with the said inclined edges of the body anda relatively narrow,

transverse portion elastically seamed to said transverse joining edge, thereby providing a long and broad rear opening; said. garment having a drop seat consisting of upward rear extensions of the legs and an insert elastically seamed to and between said extensions, said insert being of substantially triangular shape and of greater widthat its base than either of said leg extensions, the

lower ends of the fall strips being elastically sewed convergingly toward each other at 'a downward inclination to the bottom of the drop seat at the upward extension of the legs, thereby defining the bottom of the fall and reinforcing the seat thereat.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

a ALVAH L. PERKINS.

Witnesses:

FRED Wmrrmn, Pnns'roN Mncrmm. 

